


Adventures In Solitude

by eos_3



Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Awkward Flirting, F/M, First Dates, First Kiss, Future Fic, Kotetsu's In A Coma Oh No It's Serious, Mild Hurt/Comfort, coping with loss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-18
Updated: 2015-01-13
Packaged: 2018-03-07 10:13:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3171068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eos_3/pseuds/eos_3
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Karina leaves the team because of Kotetsu's accident, Barnaby realizes the reason he misses her so much is that he's in love with her. Unfortunately, once he finds her, Karina isn't entirely happy to see him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Overture

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Tiger & Bunny Kinkmeme.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know you want to  
> Run far away from one more  
> And that it's coming at a bad time  
>  
> 
> from _Adventures In Solitude_ by The New Pornographers

“The bar is closed, Mr. Brooks. You should go home,” Karina said, her fingers brushing the piano keys lightly enough that she could hear the faint notes. There was only one reason he could be here and she wasn't about to give him an opening. She was done with the hero game and the lies and deceptions and the pain behind it.

She'd learned a hard lesson six months ago; no matter what Kotetsu had said, you couldn't save everyone.

“I only need one minute of your time, Karina,” he said as he approached, using that pleasantly affected tone she recognized from countless promotional clips and commercials. It irked her, too, to hear her real name from his lips so casually, even though they'd known each other for so long.

Barnaby had been sitting at one of the tables near the back, sipping from what looked like the same beer glass for at least an hour; when he'd actually arrived, she didn't know. Trying to stay calm once she'd noticed him had been difficult, she'd gone through the rest of her usual set without missing a note, but she could feel his eyes on her the whole time. She didn't understand how he'd found her, her performances weren't being billed anywhere yet.

He had an expensive red leather jacket slung over his arm and his reserved nature seemed intact. Karina decided he probably wasn't drunk, but there was a looseness to his limbs that she wasn't used to seeing. If she wanted to she could yell for Damon to throw him out, but she didn't. She could take care of him easily enough.

“Don't bother asking. I don't owe you anything - jerk.” She punctuated the word by pressing several keys down at the same time, sending discordant notes at him.

Barnaby shrugged, looking up at her from the base of the stage, crossing his arms. “No, I guess you don't, but we're not rivals anymore. There's no reason we have to be at odds.”

“Tell that to Kotetsu,” she said, and a tiny, but extremely vindictive part of her heart was satisfied to see him wince. She started playing the refrain to a recent popular song; he probably wouldn't recognize it, or the suggestion she was making with it for him to get the hell out, since he claimed he didn't listen to anything less than one-hundred-years-old. Hell yes, she still blamed him for what had happened.

“I would if I could,” Barnaby said, not trying to hide the bitterness he felt. Perhaps there was even a hint of sadness behind it, but she didn't want to give him too much credit. A small hop and he was on the stage with her, like he had every right to be there.

 _So arrogant._ “Go away, the bartender is going to lock the doors in a minute.”

“I'm sure he'll make an exception. How many different venues do you play in a week, by the way?” he asked, leaning down on the piano at ease, like she hadn't just accused him of nearly killing one of her best friends. The gleam in his green eyes told her that he was humoring her, and it made her grit her teeth. She looked around the dim barroom for Damon but he wasn't nearby, probably outside smoking.

“Why would I tell you that? My life is none of your business,” she said, wishing he wasn't standing so close.

As much as she didn't want to forgive him, it was impossible to ignore how nice he was to look at; how good he smelled, how tight the material of his black t-shirt was across his broad shoulders. Karina liked his new haircut, still shaggy but not as long in back - but she could never tell him something like that. Barnaby wasn't the sort of man that let people get too close to him, and he was used to being showered with praise; he wasn't about to get it from her.

“Just curious. Nathan said he only knew about this one, but you don't play here every night. I suppose you have a lot more to keep you busy though, now that you're going to the university,” he said, looking at her with such intensity Karina felt her face flush, while at the same time feeling slightly betrayed by Nathan.

It didn't help that he'd just said he had come here looking for her before. She wondered how much Nathan had told him; they still talked and met up every other Thursday – it had only been two months after all since she'd quit. Being on time for her classes was much easier, now that she didn't have the pressure of being a hero of Sternbild to disrupt her schedule.

“Stop stalking me, it's illegal - and creepy. I'm not coming back, there's nothing that you can say that would convince me,” she said. Not even if Kotetsu woke up from his coma tomorrow.

Barnaby just laughed.

“What?”

“It's funny. You're probably the only person in the world who wouldn't be flattered that I sought them out,” he said, smirking and looking away as he adjusted his glasses.

Karina gasped and crossed her arms at him, leaning back from the piano. “You even admit it! You're not a very nice person I hope you know,” she said. Her anger was about to tip over into fury, but she saw something shift in his demeanor and she held her tongue.

“You shouldn't make wild assumptions. I never said anything about asking you to return,” he said, ignoring her insult.

“Why _are_ you here then?” she asked, bemused and reaching out, stroking the keys under her fingers lightly enough that she could hear the hammers shifting but not striking the wires.

“I wanted to see you, nothing more.”

“Don't be ridiculous. You don't even like my music,” she grumbled. 'Nothing more' if he said so, but she wouldn't bet on it. Barnaby always had some sort of agenda. He couldn't possibly be saying that he _missed_ her.

“You seem to have made an art out of putting words in my mouth,” he said, irritated - possibly frustrated, his mouth quirking down. “I said I came here because I wanted to see you.”

What he meant finally clicked in her mind, and Karina stood up sharply. She pushed the wooden bench back against the piano with a muffled screech. “I can't even begin to guess what you're getting at, but it's late. I'm going home, you should do the same.”

“Karina -” he said, grabbing her arm before she could leave the tiny dark stage. It was unnerving to see such a different side of him. She'd never seen him offer anything but the most shallow interest in pursuing anything but being the greatest hero in Sternbild, once he'd found his parents' killer.

“Find one of those girls you can flatter so easily, Mr. Brooks,” she said, looking back up at him with narrowed eyes. He'd had plenty of chances to become her friend. Before, he always had to twist her words, or tease her, or steal her spotlight. Something had definitely changed but she had no idea what. She made a mental note to call Nathan as soon as she had a moment alone.

“That wouldn't help, I'd still be thinking of you,” Barnaby said, his voice cool, but she could detect warmth in his eyes and expression as he tried to shift the tone of their conversation around on her. “What if I accidentally used your name instead?” he joked.

Karina smiled at his attempt at humor, and at how strongly he'd just turned on the charm. She'd been waiting for it - and was duly surprised when it made an impression on her. She had meant to be unrelentingly harsh with him, and now he'd given her one pleasant look and nearly managed to undo her resolve. Deep down she knew she liked the attention, which had been in short supply since she'd quit shilling soft drinks. She was tired, that had to be it.

“You wouldn't believe how many men have told me similar things in my fanmail,” she said. She couldn't help thinking of some of the particularly disturbing letters she'd received and quickly discarded in revulsion and horror - or on one memorable occasion, had her manager contact the authorities over. There were certain kinds of attention she could do without.

“You, Karina, not Blue Rose,” he said, and she was at a loss, uncertain how to reply.

For one thing, she didn't get fanmail any longer and it hurt a little to have him point it out. Blue Rose was a figment, but a famous, insanely popular one, unlike Karina Lyle. Now, Karina was just another struggling singer-songwriter, working on a practical degree so she could eventually support herself enough to pursue her true passion in her sparse free time.

Could she afford to offer even a sliver of it to someone else? Nathan had always told her she was going to have to sacrifice certain things if she really did want to be in a relationship with someone; things like time and a certain amount of ego; things she wasn't sure she was capable of giving up for anyone - least of all for someone like Barnaby.

“I suppose you would understand the difference. It makes me wonder though what's under your mask,” she said, feeling him slide his hand up her arm to her shoulder, tugging her around to face him.

Karina doubted anyone really knew Barnaby, even Kotetsu, who had probably gotten the closest to him of all. Now that she thought about it, their mutual affection for Kotetsu was their greatest and possibly their only real bond. She'd never run into Barnaby in the hospital while visiting, but she knew from the guest log he did stop in. She wondered if he thought about the same things she did while watching their friend's slack, endlessly-dreaming face, and steady breathing.

“I don't know what makes you think there is one, but I guess there's only one way to find out,” he said, with what she thought was an honest grin.

Was this the charming facade he always defaulted to when he was on uncertain footing, or the real Barnaby smiling at her? Karina wasn't sure.

“Give me your phone,” she said, resigned. Barnaby produced a slick red-cased smartphone from his pocket, and unlocked it for her so she could punch in her number. “Call me if you want – we can talk again when I'm not dead tired.”

“I look forward to it.”

“Don't make me regret this, pretty boy,” Karina said. 


	2. Soundboard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barnaby calls Nathan about how badly it went with Karina - and, of course, Karina calls Nathan complaining about Barnaby. Somehow, Barnaby still gets up the nerve to ask Karina out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More than begin  
> But less than forget  
> But spirits born  
> From the not happened yet  
> Gathering there  
> To pay off a debt brought back from the wars
> 
>  
> 
> from _Adventures In Solitude_ by The New Pornographers

Barnaby called Nathan as soon as he reached his car. “That could have gone better,” he said, as Nathan's dark, heavily made-up face blinked into view. He plugged his phone into the dash, and the image of his friend shifted to the larger transparent screen in the windshield.

“I told you it would be hard to win her over. She's not stupid, and she still thinks you left Tiger to die. Maybe if you'd have been nicer to her before, or actually said something about how you felt,” Nathan said. It looked like he was doing his nails, lacquering over lavender with clear coat.

“Maybe. I'm not used to having to work for approval,” he laughed, turning out of the parking garage into the artificially-lit streets of Bronze Stage. He knew Nathan was right, Karina had had every reason to be angry and confused at his behavior. He'd taken for granted she'd always be there, and while it had been in his mind that one day perhaps he'd say something... he never did.

Then Kotetsu got hurt and too soon after she was gone as well. He kept looking for her like he did for Kotetsu, feeling disappointed when she wasn't there when he and the rest of the heroes had a call. Rationally he knew she was probably getting along fine without them - him, but he didn't really want to believe it.

“You shouldn't have to, handsome – and you don't have to – I'm _always_ here for you.” Nathan smiled playful and affectionate as always.

“Thanks Nathan. She did give me her number though,” he said, unable to restrain his grin.

Nathan gasped, sitting up from the red plush couch he was reclining on and then blinked and smiled back. “Well that _is_ fast progress. I'm surprised, I thought she would hold on to her grudges much longer than that. What did you say to her?”

Barnaby frowned, a little irked at Nathan's lack of confidence in him. “Not much - she didn't give me time to. I told her the truth – well part of it. She did seem a little upset that I'd asked you where she was playing.”

Nathan covered his face with his hand, shaking his head. “Oh dear, I'll be hearing about that. You could have left my name out of it.”

“No, I think that helped, she trusts you,” Barnaby said, shifting into the lane that would take him to the highway and then the ornate heights of Gold Stage.

“Maybe not after this. You'll have to be on your best behavior dear, or it's going to tarnish my image.”

“You don't really want me to say something to that, do you?”

Nathan gave a musical laugh, and wagged a long finger at him. “Devil. But seriously, now that you've got her attention I want you to promise me one thing.”

“What's that?”

“Don't hurt her. If you do, I'll kill you.” Nathan's usually high, melodramatic voice lowered by an octave or two, with the last three words, and his face was so close to the screen Barnaby could only see his wide, admonishing brown eyes.

Barnaby leaned back into the leather seat, like Nathan really was invading his personal space. “Why would I want to do that? Even if I did, she could freeze all the water in my body before I could touch her.” Karina had always been one of the most powerful members of their group. If she'd been given better armor by her sponsors, she almost certainly would have been more competition on Hero TV.

“Don't pretend you don't know what I mean, handsome. You already broke my heart. Oh look, I've got another call coming in! I wonder who it could _possibly_ be?”

“Okay, I'll talk to you later,” Barnaby said, wondering again if he'd done the right thing by going to see her.

“Be sure that you do.”

* * *

 

“Nathan, answer already. Just pick up!” Karina yelled, as if it would make him appear on the bar's backroom phone screen more quickly. This was the third time she'd called, after being kicked over to videomail twice.

“I'm here, I'm here, darling. Oh my, what happened? Are you okay? Your eyes are all red!” His expression was sympathetic to the point she thought he was expecting her to be upset over something. Of course he was, this was all _his_ fault!

“Why was Barnaby here? Why did you tell him where I'm working?”

Nathan looked away from the screen and shrugged. “He asked. MacGirk's is a public place, isn't it?”

“Why?” she demanded, her voice flush with anger.

“It may come as a surprise, but he really does like you, dear.”

“I don't understand why he never said something before.”

“He's not exactly what I'd call _experienced_ when it comes to relationships, Karina. Maybe he has been just as nervous about you as you were about Kotetsu.”

He hadn't looked nervous to her. “I still _do_ like Kotetsu, you know.” If she thought for a moment that he'd take her seriously, she'd have expressed her feelings a long time ago. It occurred to her perhaps that was how Barnaby might have felt, but it didn't seem like him. If he wanted something, he would go and get it; why would something like this be different?

“And we all hope for him every day to wake up. I know what happened with Tiger has been hard on you, which is why I think maybe you need to let go for a while.”

She shook her head. “I will never give up hoping.”

“Of course you won't! But I think you should go do something together with Barnaby; the two of you could have some fun I think,” he said, trying to steer the conversation away from the touchy subject of Kotetsu.

“I don't think he even knows _how_ to have fun.”

“Of course he does, have you ever been in a car with him? A speed maniac.”

Karina made a face at him. “Why do you think this is a good idea? So he's got a pretty face - so does Keith and I'd never date that goofball. It's just a waste of time.” She was sure Keith was sweet, but she needed to be able to talk about things besides exercise, health supplements and pets.

“So hardhearted. Keith has his good points.” Nathan paused, and tapped his finger against his lips. “Listen, I think you're looking at this the wrong way. This is an opportunity for you to expand your horizons - and I don't like seeing either of you unhappy and lonely.”

“I am not lonely and my horizons are expanding very nicely on their own,” she said, irritably. Karina had an apartment and a credit card in her name now and would be playing a new venue this week; she could find plenty of things to keep herself occupied with.

Nathan narrowed his amber eyes at her. “Hmph. Last week you were crying on my shoulder that you were going to die a virgin.”

“So you send me Barnaby?” she huffed.

“He was very conveniently available - and having a similar crisis.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Well, sort of - and I don't know if he's a virgin, you'll have to ask him that yourself,” Nathan said, as if it were the most innocent thing in the world.

“Are we actually talking about this?” Karina could feel her face flushing as red as a tomato. She wasn't ready for something like that!

He laughed, a cascade of mocking notes. “You don't have to marry him, girl, just have some fun – and if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. _Que sera, sera_.”

Karina ran a hand back through her hair, looking around the poorly-lit back room, full of stacked chairs and old signs and metal canisters. She could hear glasses clinking in the kitchen while the rest of the staff cleaned up. There were so many reasons to cut Barnaby off, before this could go any further.

“He's still a celebrity and I'm not, I'm not sure we'd be able to go out in public together. It would be a scandal – or my identity as a hero would get out once the tabloids did some digging.” On a date. On a date with Barnaby. She'd never been on a date with anyone, why should she let him have the honor of her first – her first _anything_?

Nathan rolled his eyes. “Hat and sunglasses, now come up with a better excuse.”

But what about when they were inside, like at a restaurant? Wait, she was actually considering it - this was bad. “Fine. We have _nothing_ in common.”

Nathan smiled widely and held up his hand and began to tick off points on his fingers. “You're both NEXTs, you both have a good ear for music, you're both friends with Kotetsu and are extremely concerned about his welfare. You both like expensive footwear. You're both ambitious and athletic and well-educated – and most importantly you're attracted to him and he's attracted to you,” he finished, his face smug and satisfied as he took a drink from a bottle of mineral water he'd plucked from a surface out of range from the screen.

Now she was starting to think they were _too much_ alike. Karina crossed her arms, and pouted a little. “What makes you think I'm attracted to him?” she asked, unable to keep from thinking about those parts of his personality that had always put them at odds.

“Is it possible to _not_ be attracted to him?”

“Nathan!”

“Darling, if I got to wake up to that every morning, I won't lie, we'd never leave the house,” he admitted, and he chuckled as Karina blushed again.

“Whatever. I have to go,” Karina said.

“Call me if there are any new developments,” he said, playing with one of his golden star earrings.

“Yeah yeah. Oh wait, are we still on for the Andrew Bird show next week?” It had been a while since she'd been to see a good musician live, and it would be nice to be able to get to watch someone else do all the work.

Nathan clapped his hands together, excited. “Of course! I can't wait to see that man up close,” he said. One of the pleasures of having Nathan as a friend, was that Karina got invited to all sorts of cultural events she'd never have been able to afford on her own. She wondered if he knew how much she appreciated it. “You'll finally get to meet Reginald, too. I think he might be a keeper.”

“Is he the banker?” she asked. Nathan had had a few boyfriends since she'd known him, but he'd been with this one the longest.

He nodded. “Yes, the one with the sense of humor who wears the same size shoes as Antonio.”

“I'm looking forward to meeting him.” So far she'd only seen a photograph of his current beau, who was quite handsome.

“Good, because you'll probably be seeing more of him,” he said.

Karina gave a little laugh and smiled. “Okay, I'll talk to you soon.”

“Goodnight, darling.”

“Goodnight.” She wondered, as the screen grew dark, if it was even possible that she could ever feel the same way about Barnaby, that Nathan felt for Reginald. He was probably right to say that she shouldn't take it too seriously, at least not at first. At the very least she'd get some practice for when the real thing came along.

* * *

Three days later, while lounging at home having a late breakfast, Barnaby called Karina.

When she answered, she appeared to be sitting in some sort of music room, with guitars and panels of acoustic insulation hanging on the walls behind her. Morning sunlight was making bright narrow lines across everything and it was quiet, so he thought she must be alone.

She wasn't looking at the screen, but instead down at a thin tablet computer, which she seemed to be making notes on. “What can I do for you, Mr. Brooks?” she said, still with that suspicious edge limning her voice.

She was going to keep on with calling him that? Barnaby actually didn't mind the sound of it, but he knew her intent. “Where are you?”

“At the conservatory,” she said in a clipped tone.

“Working on a song?” He leaned up a little from his reclining chair, and took a sip of coffee from his mug, which had his bunny logo printed on the side. He couldn't recall how it had managed to get from his desk at Apollon into his kitchen.

“I am.”

“You're taking music courses then?” he asked, never having heard nor asked what she was majoring in. It seemed like that sort of thing might be enjoyable for her to study, but then again, she was already working at a professional level.

“No, but any student can use the pianos here. Did you want something?”

“I wanted to see if you're free this afternoon.”

“Mmm, I have a class between two and four and then at seven I have an opening slot over at this place in West Silver Stage.”

“There are some nice restaurants in that area. I like Pietro's myself.” It was a quiet bistro with Mediterranean food and a good view of the waterfront. The last person he'd been there with was Kotetsu. His partner seemed to enjoy it, if not the bill.

Karina blinked at him. “Ah, um, I suppose I could fit you in. Is this casual? Oh, but I don't know if I'll have time to change for the show.”

Her tone had completely shifted from bland and uninterested to giving him her full attention. Maybe she liked that place, too. “What you're wearing should be fine.”

“You can't see my shoes. Never mind, I'll figure something out,” she said, looking down and plucking at her white blouse.

“Do you want me to pick you up?” he asked, mapping out in his head the fastest route to Sternbild University. It was in Gold Stage, though on the opposite side of the level from his building.

Karina shook her head. “No, I've got a motorbike.”

“As you like. So is five-thirty all right?” he had his daily agenda up on the main screen in front of him, and if she couldn't do today he'd have to see if she was open for Friday, though he had a press event that afternoon and Fridays were frequently busy days for heroes.

“It should be. Are you sure this won't be a problem?” she asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Cameras.”

“Don't worry about it,” he understood her concern, but Apollon Media had exclusive rights on his image. Anyone who wanted to publish photos of him had to go through Apollon Media first, and Barnaby held the controlling share in the company. Maverick had named him as his sole beneficiary. The fact that Barnaby had been the one to depose him was irrelevant, since Maverick was dead before he could change his will. Barnaby would take care of the rest personally, if there was an issue.

“Easy for you to say.”

“I guess it is,” he shrugged, not trying to be smug but realizing after a second his words came off that way; she was making a sour face at him.

“Don't say it,” she said, making a horizontal motion with her hand at him.

“Say what?” She was so prickly sometimes. He had no idea what she was going on about now.

“That I could always come back to being a hero!”

“I wasn't going to say anything like that. Sorry, I shouldn't have been so flippant.”

Her lovely brown eyes widened for moment, as if she were surprised. “Dammit, stop being nice,” she said and the screen went dark.

Barnaby blinked at the _call ended_ screen for a moment and chuckled. Maybe he did want her to come back, but he never intended to pressure her; she seemed to be doing that just fine on her own.


	3. Reverb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barnaby and Karina's date goes about as well as can be expected while she's still angry with him, her show is a bust, and they get a surprise phone call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sleeping for years  
> Pick through what is left  
> Through the pieces that fell and rose from the depth  
> From the rainwater well  
> Deep as a secret nobody knows
> 
>  
> 
> from _Adventures In Solitude_ by The New Pornographers

When Barnaby arrived, led by a black-clad hostess, Karina was already waiting for him in a private windowed alcove at the back. The restaurant itself was an elegant sea of white tablecloths and dark wooden flooring, busy, but not too busy. The smell of rich food made him even more eager to be seated.

As he approached their table, he watched Karina absently swirl the ice around at the bottom of her water goblet with a straw. She was staring down at the tablet he'd seen her working with earlier, and there was a small plate with crumbs and napkin on it near her right hand; she'd at least had an appetizer. She looked gorgeous in a stylish ivory knit dress, with her golden hair pinned up with tiny rhinestone rosettes; the mauve scarf Kotetsu had given her for her birthday last year was draped around her neck and over one shoulder. Barnaby blinked, realizing then he was staring.

Well over an hour ago, he'd left her a message that there was a call. He tried to wrap things up as quickly as possible, but was still a half-hour late. Only an hour to eat and get her to her show. It was doable, but whether she'd still want to see his face by then was a matter for debate. She was here though.

Barnaby wondered what sort of place she was playing at later, and began considering how to accompany her there. Her music might not be his usual preference, but her voice _was_ very pretty, and her songwriting had matured a great deal. There was also a certain light to her face when she performed that he admired.

She didn't seem to notice him walking up, she was so engrossed in what she was doing. Idly she dragged and dropped a line of text on what looked like a lyric sheet, and then quickly typed another line to replace it. He was vain enough to wonder if she might be writing about him. Karina had at least one song about Kotetsu in her repertoire, to his knowledge, though admittedly he'd only heard a small amount of her work.

“Karina,” he said, and she seemed to startle a little in her seat. “Sorry, I got held up.”

“I know, you left a message,” she said, barely looking up at him, finishing what she was writing. Either he'd caught her in a deeply creative moment, or she was extremely angry. Barnaby suspected the latter, and didn't really blame her. Even if she knew what it meant to be a hero, having to deal with constant absences and interruptions was irritating.

“You look lovely,” he said, catching her eyes as he sat down across from her, and meant it. Her skin flushed, starting near her delicate collar bones, rising fast to color her cheeks to the tips of her ears. He wondered if he should feel so pleased with himself - because he did – she'd been very hard to get through to previously.

“I-It's just for the show later,” she said, her big brown eyes flicking away, as she pulled her bag up and tucked away her tablet.

“Oh really? Where is it at?” he asked, giving her his full attention. Yes, he was definitely going.

“The cocktail bar in the Four Seasons. I'm filling in until their regular person gets there. It should be interesting since I've never played an such upscale place,” she said, looking out the window, dodging his eyes again. The sky was deepest violet and yellow lights from the surrounding city and the bridge, were scattered and tumbled by the current that swept around the man-made harbor.

“That's a nice hotel.” He supposed that was a bit of an understatement, since the Four Seasons was a five-star hotel and had floors in all three stages of Sternbild, making it for all intents and purposes a pillar of the city. “Are you looking for a permanent job or something?”

“Not exactly. I'm still building my name, so I have to take what I can get – but I also want to play different kinds of audiences. I think I have a few fans,” she smiled a little sadly, as if thinking of someone in particular.

“Kotetsu,” Barnaby said.

She nodded. “Yeah, and my manager. He could have abandoned me when I left Titan, but he didn't. Robert wants me to play some festivals in Europe, but I want to finish the semester at least. Maybe this summer, since I haven't traveled much outside of Sternbild.”

That she was even considering it, gave him the sense that she might have started thinking about leaving Sternbild altogether. Barnaby didn't like that idea at all. He knew he had little influence over her choices, but he was sure that Kotetsu meant a great deal to her. It might be painful to have to wait for him to come back to them, but to completely abandon her entire world seemed excessive.

“I guess it might be nice to travel a little. I don't think I could go too far from the city, I'd be too worried about work. I'm not even sure what I'd do if I wasn't a hero,” he said, which was the truth. He'd lived so long bearing out the will of others, that the process of understanding his own remained a work in progress. Changing the way Hero TV was run and the nature of its mission, was certainly a start.

“Model maybe?” she said, pursing her lips in a tight smile.

“No, I don't think so. I'd get bored,” he said with a measured grin.

Karina laughed, but it wasn't a happy sound. “Did I hear you say that you care about something besides your image?”

She was really one to talk, having for a time played at being an idol singer and risked her life just so people would hear her voice. He narrowed his eyes at her. “You've known me this long and you really think I'm like that?” Certainly he didn't mind the publicity work, but she had to understand how much had changed for him, especially after his uncle's wrongdoings and manipulations were exposed. He'd been lucky enough to have someone like Kotetsu there to keep him from going over the edge. He might be a fool, but Kotetsu was also a noble and honest fool.

“Frankly, yes,” she said, looking at him and then away, as she bit her lower lip.

“You're comparing me to Kotetsu,” he said, and could tell by the way she looked up at him, intense and without guilt. He was irked by this, but was fortunately aware of the competition, out of it as he was. "As much as I admire my partner's ethics, he's still an idiot - but we compliment each other's deficiencies, and that's why I need him around," he admitted. Give and take, Nathan had said, there had to be some or progress could never be made.

Karina didn't say anything - the waiter was stepping up to their table. Barnaby let her order first, watching her over his menu, considering how he could turn the evening around. Once the waiter had their entrees he asked for a good bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. Karina didn't say no when he asked for two glasses.

* * *

One glass of wine wasn't nearly enough to make her tipsy, was it? Karina didn't feel like she was deprived of her senses; maybe a little warm but that was all.

Still, Barnaby had convinced her to let him give her a ride to the hotel. She was hoping his real reason to take her on a short ride in a very fast car, was merely to get her there safely. That wasn't the feeling she was getting, even though she knew she could handle him if he did something she didn't like. Which made her a hundred times more nervous to feel herself responding positively to him, his charm, his increasing attentiveness. She couldn't afford to be so distracted and let things move too fast between them.

When they arrived, Karina checked in with the hotel entertainment manager who had hired her, and then she and Barnaby walked unhurried together down to the cocktail bar. It was tucked away in a corner on the backside of the center quad, which had a huge fountain making watery echoes - she realized quickly that it would drown out any music coming from beyond it. Karina had the sense that the little venue she was playing had been added as an afterthought.

She understood now why the hotel's original piano player didn't mind being late, and was a little put out, too. There wasn't really much of a stage - more a dais with a strip of lights around the edge. The whole place reeked of floor polish and old cigarettes instead of activity. It wasn't what she'd been imagining at all, and she began wondering if she was at the right hotel.

While she set up her mic and checked the sound, Barnaby got a drink from the elderly black-tied bartender. Sitting down, she saw him glance around the room - and observing no one else was present, Barnaby came up to sit on the piano bench along with her.

Karina glared at him in annoyance, but he just grinned. "We're practically alone," he said, and for a moment he looked so mischievous he could have been about twenty years younger. She knew he had a temper, but this was new. She thought he was the sort to hang back until the last moment. Either she had misjudged him or he really wanted her.

"You're not supposed to be up here," she said.

Having him across the table from her wasn't so bad. Shoulder to shoulder and hip to hip, able to feel the warmth of his body was a little different. No, it was _a lot_ different. For one thing - and she hadn't noticed it before - this close the cologne he was wearing was really quite intoxicating.

“Do you know any Chopin?” Barnaby asked, looking down at her with heavy-lidded eyes.

Karina felt her heart jump and was immediately furious that he'd caught her off-guard. Her hands hovered at the edge of the keyboard. Anything she played right now was going to be a jittery mess. It was almost hard to breathe, as she was caught somewhere between fury and nervousness. She turned the mic off.

“A couple of waltzes maybe some other pieces, but I haven't played them in a long time,” she said, hearing a song in her head she hadn't thought about since she'd done it for a recital. Popular music was what she wanted to do, and now she could sing and play a few hundred songs and was always learning more – people would request the most obscure things after all. Classical pieces were much more time-consuming to learn and it was almost impossible to get away with faking the parts she didn't know.

“Is there a piece that you like?” he asked, lifting his tumbler off of the piano. She wasn't sure what he was drinking but it was dark and had ice in it and smelled stronger than the wine she'd had. If he kept this up she was going to have to drive him home.

“I've always liked Debussy's oeuvre,” she admitted, which was true, though from what she'd read he was a horrible womanizer.

“The _Suite Bergamasque_ , perhaps? That's pretty.”

Was he asking her to play the whole thing? She knew parts of it, but - “I don't know, it's been a while.”

“Karina-” He knocked the heel of his shoe against hers, and smiled at her with confidence.

“I think I can pull off _Valse Romantique_ ,” she laughed, uneasy and touching her tongue to her teeth, as she tentatively placed her left hand over the keyboard. This wasn't going to be very good without the sheet music to look at, possibly not even passable. She supposed she could always segue into something else that she knew by heart.

A little over halfway through the song, she'd started getting into it, and her fingers were finally remembering and moving across the keys in a less awkward, unpracticed way, the music was flowing if not flawless – and then she had to stop. Barnaby was resting his head on her shoulder.

“Barnaby!” The hum of the last note she had played was still hanging in the back of the soundbox.

“Heh, you finally used my name,” he said smug-faced, moving upright and looking down at her with that heat in his eyes that she could only place as desire.

The blush that blossomed on her face only seemed to give him encouragement. “I can't play with you sitting with me like this,” she said. It was true enough that it was hard to have to reach across his obstructing form, it was like playing around a marble pillar.

“Too bad, I was really starting to enjoy it.”

“Enjoying it too much, I think,” she scolded. He had to be kidding, that was terrible.

“I got a pretty girl to answer one of my wishes, what's not to like?” he said, leaning in further. If he got any closer, he was going to have to take his glasses off so they didn't touch her face.

She crossed her arms, effectively pushing him back. “Are you sure you haven't had too much to drink?”

“Not even close. I can drink both Antonio and Kotetsu under the table,” he claimed, though she thought it a little absurd. He probably only had that sort of tolerance because he did drink a lot.

“Somehow, I don't think that's a good thing.”

“Depends on whether there's money involved.”

Now she knew he was drunk or on the edge of it. He never talked about things like that. “That sounds like the sort of stupid macho measuring contest the three of you would get into,” she sneered. Men did such ridiculous things to show off to each other.

“Then you've never seen Agnes tie one on,” Barnaby laughed, pushing his glasses up for a moment to rub his eyes, like he was tired.

“I've heard stories, but they're still just stories,” Karina said. Agnes had certain traits Karina admired, but she also was the subject of a great many rumors and anecdotes because of how intensely she approached every aspect of life.

“They're probably all true.”

Karina shook her head, looking at the piano, mournful and wishing someone would show up that she could play for. “Hmph. She's one of the people I really don't miss.”

“Who do you miss then?” he asked, there was still that slight predatory gleam to his eyes. She immediately thought of Kotetsu, and what he'd think of Barnaby's behavior - realizing he'd probably throw him across the room, but not for the reasons she might want. She missed him, not his fatherly protectiveness.

“Barnaby,” she said, soft and a little sad, looking down at the keys knowing exactly what song she wanted to play. It was one of her songs though, nothing he wanted to hear.

“Really?” Barnaby chuckled, but then seemed to notice the change in her demeanor; his expression darkened and his shoulders sank. “I'm sorry, I was just teasing. I miss him, too.” He sighed hard, and while he didn't really move away from her, a certain invisible pressure from his direction dissipated.

“I'm so afraid he's not going to wake up,” she said, blinking away tears. The thought of a world without Kotetsu in it, was one that she didn't really care to live in.

“I know how you feel,” he said.

She nodded, and looked him squarely in the eyes. “I'm sorry I've been blaming you. You were his partner I just thought – I thought you should have been there to catch him like all those other times. I couldn't get to him fast enough either.” The horrific sight of his limp and rapidly falling form was still imprinted in her mind like an inescapable nightmare.

Barnaby nodded. “I'll do better next time, I promise. When he wakes up you'll have to yell at him.”

“Only after you're done,” she agreed.

“Naturally,” he leaned his head against hers, and this time she didn't try to pull away. “Kotetsu will be disappointed you quit,” he said.

“I know. I find the longer he's out of it, the more ways I've managed to disappoint him. I don't think he'd appreciate you giving me so much attention like this,” Karina said as she looked up at him with a smirk.

“You think he-”

She shrugged. “I never asked.” That man was so clueless, she'd knew she'd have to spell it out to him. She wondered how it was possible that he'd managed to get married and have a child. His wife must have been the one in charge.

“I don't think I intend to ever give you the chance,” Barnaby said, with that infuriating cockiness that always raised her hackles.

“It's not up to you,” she said, daring him to try.

His green eyes sparked with determination. “What if I kissed you?”

“It's just a kiss.” What a lie that was, but the game was on.

She knew he was going to call her bluff, wanted him to. When he did, they ended up with her back against the piano, jarring too many keys at once. The cacophony echoed through the small room and startled the bartender, who up to that point was watching a cricket match on the TV behind the bar.

“Hey!” the man yelled over at them.

She almost didn't register his voice, between the thudding of her heart and the blood in her ears, Barnaby's mouth firm and insistent and warm against her own, losing any and all uncertainty once she kissed him back. It was like her mind was full of static and for that moment there was just him.

“I think this job is a bust,” Barnaby said, as he pulled back and she blinked up at him. “Want to go?”

She shook her head, her fingertips at her mouth as she recovered her senses. “Go where? I can't just leave, they'll never let me play here again.” One kiss – admittedly her first - was not enough to abandon her work over.

“What? You want to play to an empty room?” he said, sounding disappointed. She had the sense that he wanted to find someplace a little more secluded, like perhaps an actual hotel room. Karina had already decided much earlier that something like that was off the menu.

“The music is supposed to draw people in. I have to keep going,” she said, keeping her tone even and firm.

She would have, too, if both of their phones hadn't started going off at the same time.

* * *

Karina thought that Barnaby's car might have actually flown part of the way, he drove them to the hospital so fast. How they managed not to get a ticket or have an an accident she wasn't sure – either she was lucky or he was just that skilled.

“He's been awake since this morning,” Nathan said. They had met him in the hall outside the doors to the long-term care ward, which like the rest of the hospital smelled of disinfectant and bleach, and Karina supposed that was a good thing. “They had to let his family know first. He's not really mobile yet, but he can talk.”

“Can we see him?” Karina asked. Barnaby had his arm draped around her shoulder as if it were something he always did. It took Nathan looking at them with an amused, tight-lipped smile for her to notice. Was Barnaby going to act like this in front of Kotetsu, too? She glanced up at him, but he didn't even seem to realize he was doing it.

“I was waiting for the nurse to give me the okay. His family already went back to their hotel since visiting hours are almost over. We might have to come back tomorrow.”

Then they heard a commotion on the other side of the doors. Nathan slowly pushed one of them open.

“I've lost six whole months and you tell me I have to stay in bed? Look, my legs work great, I can go!” Kotetsu growled, stomping loudly into the hall like an overgrown toddler.

“Mr. Kaburagi, we're only trying to keep you from hurting yourself. Please come back to your room,” cried the nurse.

“I can move fine. Look at me, picture of health!” he yelled, flexing one arm and then pounding his chest with a fist. He'd lost a lot of weight and muscle tone, and he still had an unhealthy pallor, in Karina's opinion. His eyes were glowing blue, so he had to be using his hundred power just to stand.

“You never change, old man. Always making trouble for those around you no matter what,” Barnaby said, crossing into the ward.

“Eh? Bunny?” Kotetsu stared down the wide hallway and saw his partner standing alongside Nathan and Karina. At that point is seemed to register in his mind that he was in nothing but a pale green hospital gown with his rear-end almost hanging out. “Is anyone else with you guys?” he said, holding his gown closed behind him.

“I'm sure they'll come as soon as they find out,” said Nathan, who looked like he was trying not to laugh.

Unable to hold herself back any longer, Karina sprinted across the hall and barreled into Kotetsu, almost knocking him over. She hugged him as hard as she could, enough that after a moment he started gasping.

“Eh? Karina?” he said, when she stopped squeezing, looking down awkward and flustered. She still had her arms around him, pinning his own down to his sides.

“Don't ever ever do that again!” She'd been on the edge of crying ever since she found out he was awake, but now the tears were pouring down her face. She knew she probably looked horrible, but she didn't care.

Kotetsu laughed, and moved his arms up stiffly to hug her, patting her back. “I'm sorry. You're all dressed up. I hope you didn't leave something important to see this old man.”

She let him go, furious that he would suggest that she wouldn't drop everything to see him. “Shut up. It was just a date with Barnaby.”

“Date?” Kotetsu looked down at her with one of his weird faces, like she had just said she had seen aliens or a giant octopus.

“Forget it. You need to get back in your room. These nurses are really angry!” she said, her face burning.

Kotetsu rubbed the back of his head. “Man I can't catch a break. You guys need to tell me what's been going on,” he said, starting to stagger towards his room. He practically fell into his rumpled bed with the nurse close behind, as they followed after him.

“Ten minutes,” said the nurse, as she tucked Kotetsu back in, indicating when they'd have to leave.

Once the door was closed, Kotetsu shoved himself upright, and pointed at Barnaby. “Oy, what's this business about a date? I thought we agreed she was off-limits.”

“Oh dear,” said Nathan, who promptly backed towards the door.

“I have no idea what you're talking about, I never agreed to anything like that,” Barnaby replied, crossing his arms and pushing up his glasses at the bridge with his index finger. Karina looked back and forth between them, and didn't know what to think.

“The hell you didn't.” Kotetsu looked as angry as she'd ever seen him.

Barnaby shook his head. “Shouldn't you be more worried about things like learning how to walk again?”

“Wait, wait. You two had some sort of agreement about not dating me?” Karina exclaimed, and turned around on her heel, pushing past Nathan back into the hall. Too much had already happened today and she was unable to even start processing this upsetting information.

She walked in a determined line back towards the main entrance, took out her phone and called a taxi.

When Barnaby caught up with her, she was sitting outside in the dark, on the central of a line of benches in the grassy commons area in front of the hospital. Part of her wished the cab would show up before she had to say anything.

“If you insist on taking a taxi, at least let me-”

“Barnaby, I don't want anything from you right now.”

He sat down next to her, looping his arms over the back of the cold metal bench. “The timing - it's like he has some sort of extra power just for interfering with my life,” Barnaby muttered. “Look, what he said was something he mentioned at a party a year ago. I thought he was joking.”

She was curious what party that it had been, because it seemed like she must also have been there. Especially if they were leering at her and making weird agreements. “Why would he joke about me like that?”

“You'd have to ask him. Though you're going to have to wait until tomorrow,” he said with a sigh. They both looked off to the right as an ambulance with it's blue lights flashing, the siren off, sped down the road towards the emergency room on the other side of the hospital.

She'd be talking to him tomorrow alright. “I will – I will ask him. There's plenty I need to talk to him about. Wouldn't you know it, things are already so much more lively with him around.”

The anger had drained out of her as fast as it had come. Tears pricked at her eyes again, and she tried hard to hold them back. Her make-up was probably a wreck, and her hair, too; she could feel a fallen tendril of it brushing her neck. Not that it mattered – the date was over, the job was forfeit. Kotetsu was back with them, and that was the important thing right now.

“That's a nice way of putting it.” He had shifted so that he was leaning with his elbows on his splayed knees, chin on his hands.

“I'm glad he's awake, Barnaby” she said, and scooted over closer to him. She really didn't want to be alone right now. She was so agitated, and at the same time relieved.

“Me too,” he murmured and took his glasses off, rubbing at his eyes. Karina couldn't tell if he was crying, but now that they'd seen Kotetsu up and causing trouble, Barnaby had to be at least as overwhelmed with emotion as she was.

“I suppose at least it was a memorable date,” she said, putting an arm across his shoulders and he sat up enough to lean into her.

He gave a strained laugh. “Unforgettable. I'll have to take you out again, and see if I can do better.”

“I'll think about it,” Karina said with a tired grin, as the cab pulled around.

Barnaby got to his feet when she did and they slid into a much-needed embrace. He kissed her on the cheek, quick, before she could slip away, and she waved goodbye to him as she got in the cab. Karina saw him sit back down on the bench alone; she felt his eyes on her as she gave the driver directions to the restaurant where she'd left her bike.

The cab was already on the highway when Karina remembered that she had left the handbag with half her life, her phone and all of her money, back in Barnaby's car.

She didn't know whether to laugh or cry; at least she would get to push back the flood of loneliness that had arisen as soon as she'd left him behind. It was possible that she was just overtired and forgetful, and that her subconscious yearnings weren't working against her.

Either way she'd be seeing Barnaby again.

* * *

 

_We thought we lost you_  
 _We thought we lost you_  
 _We thought we lost you_  
 _Welcome back_


	4. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few days after Kotetsu wakes up, Barnaby goes to visit him again - and then Karina shows up.

Knocking on the off-white metal door to Kotetsu's hospital room, Barnaby waited, hoping there wouldn't be as much of a crowd like there was the day before. He hadn't been able to say much, and Kotetsu didn't say anything to him except what was polite, along with a long irate glare before completely ignoring him.

He'd seen Karina then, but she'd been focused on Kotetsu. He didn't blame her, but he had felt the stirrings of jealousy. He'd dismissed it at first, disgusted with himself, but it was still there. She was as maddening as Kotetsu in her own way.

Kotetsu's mother answered the door, blinking up at him. “Oh, Mr. Brooks, I'm glad to see you again. He's just finished with his physical therapy so he's a little tired, but should be alright to talk.” Her Japanese accent was heavy, but Barnaby understood her with little difficulty.

“Do you mind if I speak to him alone for a moment?”

“That's fine, I need to take Kaede and get us some lunch anyway. Kotetsu!” she called back into the room.

“What ma?”

“Mr. Brooks is here,” she said.

“Oh, him,” he heard Kotetsu say, his tone derisive.

“Dad!” said Kaede.

“Yeah whatever, let him in - I guess.”

Barnaby stepped inside, seeing Kotetsu laying on his bed in green striped pajamas, Kaede at sitting his feet, with a remote in his hand and staring up at the TV. Upon inspection it appeared to be a competitive ice skating program, which was probably more his daughter's interest than his own.

“You look better today,” Barnaby said, noticing he had more color to his complexion, and his face didn't look as pinched. He must have been eating everything his friends were bringing him.

“Kaede, let's go out for a bit, I want to go check out the market on Mellifleur Street and we can have lunch there, I think.”

“But grandma-” she protested.

Kotetsu shook his head. “Go with your grandma, Kaede.”

“Aw, but Barnaby-” she pouted.

“Go,” he repeated, and Kaede huffed and grabbed her handbag, following her grandmother out of the room, with clenched fists at her sides.

Minutes ticked by as he stood in silence waiting for Kotetsu to say his piece.

“If you're just going to ignore me, I'll leave,” Barnaby said, looking back at the door.

“I want to know why you lied,” Kotetsu said

“I didn't lie. You misunderstood - you assumed I agreed with you,” he said, angry with his friend and his unending assumptions.

“You were drunk, Bunny. Maybe you don't remember, but I do.” Kotetsu said, glaring at him like he'd committed some heinous crime.

Barnaby shook his head and stepped closer to the Kotetsu's bedside. “You said that none of us could ever get involved with her because it would only cause trouble, and I remember laughing and saying you were probably right. I never said I was taking your advice. Also, I wasn't the only one who was drunk.”

“And I was right!”

“You're the only one causing problems.”

“Bunny, you're fucking twenty-six.” Kotetsu said. Barnaby had been waiting for him to bring that up. It wasn't like she was immature or hadn't been risking life and limb since she was in high school.

“Twenty-seven,” he said and shrugged. “She could have turned me down, and she didn't. I don't see why you care so much, she's not your daughter.” He wondered now if Kotetsu was acting this way out of jealousy, or because he'd compartmented Karina as another daughter in his mind. If the latter, Barnaby felt sorry for whatever his real daughter was going to have to go through.

“Well she oughta be. Like hell I'd let my daughter date an asshole like you. You just don't get it.”

Barnaby shook his head. “I'm not the one who fell on my head. What am I supposed to do, just ignore how I feel?”

“Well yeah!” Kotetsu yelled.

“Would you rather I was alone? I've lived like that long enough, I think.”

Kotetsu shook his head, and ran his hand back through his hair. “Of course not, but why her?”

“Why not?”

“Why don't you fool around with one of those girls who's  
already crazy about you. All you two ever did was bicker,” he said.

All he ever did was bicker with Kotetsu and he was his best friend. Why would he be interested in a girl who was more interested in his fame and didn't understand what it was like, what it meant to be a hero?

“Fool around, huh? If you think that this is something I decided lightly or on a whim, it's not like that. Look, Karina can take care of herself, if she tells me to leave her alone then that will be it,” he said, which was true. He wouldn't like it, but he'd do it.

Kotetsu didn't look convinced. “What if something happens and you two break up? Are you going to be able to work together? You've gotta think this through.”

Barnaby sighed. “I don't think that will be an issue, but I guess I'll let her tell you that part.”

“What now you're going to be all secretive?” Kotetsu complained, and grabbed the big mug of water off of the table next to him. He looked down at it as if disappointed it wasn't full of coffee or beer.

“It's not a secret, it's just something she needs to talk to you about,” he said, crossing and then recrossing his arms.

Kotetsu scratched his head. “I don't like the sound of this.”

“I don't like it either. Maybe you can be useful and change her mind. She seems to value your opinion over mine.”

“Shit,” he said, sounding like he understood what Barnaby was referring to.

“That was pretty much what I said.” He shook his head; in the back of his mind he held the hope that one day he'd be as important to her as Kotetsu was.

“Why would she quit singing though? She's so good!” said Kotetsu.

“Why would I quit singing?” Karina asked, looking around the edge of the door behind them.

Kotetsu's face lit up, just hearing her voice. “Oh! Karina. You're not seriously going to keep dating this guy are you?” he said.

She strode into the room, bringing the scent of pastries and soft perfume with her. “Don't change the subject. What were you telling him, Barnaby?” She had a little, white, house-shaped box with a handle on it in her hand.

“Nothing. He came up with that himself, after I told him to wait and talk to you.”

“And you complain about people getting into your business,” she said.

Barnaby scowled. “If you'd have told him already, I wouldn't have to skirt around it.”

Kotetsu threw his hands up in the air. “Do you see what I mean?”

Barnaby and Karina turned their heads at him sharply. “You stay out of this!” they said at the same time.

“I was going to tell him today!” Karina said.

“Excellent, then there should be no problem.”

“What problem? What the hell is going on?”

“I quit being a hero,” she said, shamefaced.

“What?” Kotetsu said, almost falling off the bed, he sat up so quickly, scrabbling and grabbing for the edge of the mattress to hold on to. “Karina, why would you do that?”

“It's hard to explain. You got hurt, and then...” she trailed off.

“Then what? I think I need to lay down,” he said wobbling on the edge of the bed, and they both shuffled over to get him back against the pillows and tucked in.

Barnaby looked down in disapproval. “You're not better yet you know, you shouldn't push yourself too hard.”

Karina put her hands on her hips, scowling up at him. “This is why I wasn't going to talk about that, Barnaby. Look what you did.”

“You had to tell him eventually.”

“Shut up,” she said to Barnaby, and held up her pastry box in front of Kotetsu. “Here have a bagel, I've got cream cheese and cutlery, too, if you want it.”

“Eh?” said Kotetsu. He was looking a little pale. Perhaps Karina was right that he should have held off talking about her leaving.

“They're from the patisserie on Hyacinthe Boulevard,” she said as she pulled it out with one of the napkins she'd stuffed on top. Honey-raisin-walnut, it looked delicious.

“Fancy shop, like he'd know the difference,” said Barnaby.

“Stop talking like I'm not here,” grumbled Kotetsu.

Karina put the bagel back and then took a smooth, red-colored sweet out the box, and held it under Barnaby's nose. “Macaron - you only get one.”

He took it. “What flavor?”

“Hibiscus was what it said on the card,” she said, cutting Kotetsu's bagel in half for him.

He blinked, noticing as he peeked over the edge of the box, there were about a half-dozen more of the almond-paste confections, colored in pink and green and blue.

“You weren't thinking of me at all?” he asked, with a wry grin.

“I forgot to put it back,” she said.

“Of course. Thank you.” He nibbled on the edge. The outer shell melted in his mouth, sweet and tasting of honey and papaya and some sort of spice – ginger maybe. He didn't usually go much for sweets, but it was heavenly.

While enjoying his treat, he looked back down at Kotetsu wondering why he hadn't started whining and complaining again. He'd fallen asleep, his mouth agape, snoring lightly. Barnaby chuckled, and glanced over at Karina.

She sighed, and put the food back in the box for later. “Shall we leave him?”

“There will be plenty of time to talk, want to go find some coffee?” he asked. Barnaby silently wished that he wouldn't get a call from HeroTV anytime soon, so he could make the most of this opportunity.

“I still have some time,” she said, and nodded. “Okay.”


End file.
